Process of making a cartridge-shell.



J. H. WESSON. PROCESS OF MAKING A CARTRIDGE SHELL.

AP PLIUATION FILED NOV. 20, 1913.

Patented June 23, 1914,-

UNITED STATES OFFICE;

JOSEPH WESSON, or srnmerrarn, MASSACHUSETTS.

PROCESS OF MAKING A CARTRIDGE S HELL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 23, 1914.

Application filed November 20, 1913. Serial No. 802,106-

. Improvement in Processes of Makin a Cartridge-Shell, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, l ke letters on the drawings representing like parts.

The present invention relates to the process of making a, cartridge shell, the shell to which the invention relates being of the type which is used in connection w1th automatic fire-arms, in which the flange wh ch is operated upon by the ejector mechanism is substantially equal in diameter to the body of the shell.

The purpose of the invention is to facllitate the manufacture of the shell and also to improve the quality thereof, the shell constructed according to the invention having a solid metallic breech end, instead of. a breech end which is composed of sheet metal which has been shaped from a flat blank wholly by a drawing process. In accordance with the method embodying the invention, moreover, the number of steps required to 'con'iplete-the shell is reduced, and the cost f manufacture thereby decreased. It has been the usual )ractice heretofore. in the manufacture of metallic shells, to use sheet metal, and to complete the shell therefrom by successive drawing processes, up to the final trimming of the s ml] and the cutting or shaping of the flange.

In accordance with the present invention, on the contrary, the shell. is made from av solid rod otmetal, the diameter of which is originally larger than that of the finished shell. the first step in the process consisting in removing a part of the metal, as by boring a tapered longitudinal hole in the rod, thus forming the part of thc shell which eventually becomes the chamber, and at the same time cutting the said partfrom the end of the rod. The metallic cup thus formed is then elon ated in diameter by displacing the partic es of solid. metal In practice. the blank is drawn lengthwiseby means of a punch and die; a single drawing process being sufiioient to reduce the metal to the desired diameter, and extend it somewhat beyond the length necessary for the finished shell, after which the open end is trimmed. ing the drawing process, by properly shap-, ing the drawing punch, to draw the outer part of the open end of the cartridge some whatmore than the main body thereof, thus thinning the outer end, and forming a should'er inside of the shell to constitute a seat for v the bullet when the cartridge is loaded. The

cartridge is then finished by trimming it to the desired length and forming an annular recess around the breech end by the use of an ordinary automatic screw machine, by means of which the annular groove, the finished rear end, and the primer seat and passage can all be formed at one operation.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rod or It is practicable, moreover, durblank from which. the cartridge is made;

Fig. 2- is a longitudinal section in which the boreis shown as having been drilled and the blank cut to length; Fig. 3 is a similar view of the same after the drawing process has been completed; and Fig. 4 is a longitudinalsection of the finished shell.

In carr ing out the process, the rod or blank 1 w llCll is larger in diameter than the cartridge which is to be constructed, is taken from a long metal rod which may be inserted in an automatic screw machine and at one operation cut to the desired length and bored endwise to form a tapered cavity 2 as shown in Fig. 2. A cup or shell is thereby formed having a relatively thin ivall 3 and a solid closed end 4. After this step has been taken, the metal blank shown in- Fig. 2 is reshaped by reducing it in diameter and increasing it in length; This may be accomplished by subjecting the blank to the usual drawing process, that is, forcing it through a die, the diameter of which is equal to that of the finished shell. By this drawing process, the blank shown in Fig. 2 is elongated and reduced in diameter to the proportions shown in Fig. 3. In connection with this step of the process an internal drawing/punch is used the shape of the punch being such that the open, end of the shell is sli htly reduced in thickness as indicated at 5 in Fig. 3, thus forming an annular shoulder 6 to constitute a seat for the bullet when the shell is loaded. The shell is then finished by boring the primer seat 7, and the time by means of suitable tools used in connection with an automatic screw machine.

What I chum 1s: 1. The herem described method of manu facturing a cartridge shell, which consists tcr; expanding the open end of the bore to a in removing from a solid metal rod a portion of the metal to form a cup; cuttin the 1 portion thus formed from the end of the rod; elongating the blank thus formed and j reducing the diameter thereof; and cutting an annular groove and a longitudinal recess 5 in the solid end of the blank to form a flange and primer seat.

'2. The herein described method of manufacturing cartridge s ells which consists in boring a solid rod of metal to form, a cup; drawing the bored rod to a smaller diameter; and finally cutting an annular groove around the solid end of the bored and drawn i rod and forming a" primer seat in the end surface thereof.

3. The herein described method of manufacturing cartridgeshells which consists in 3 boring a solid rod of metal toforma cup;'

drawing the bored rod to a smaller diamelargerdiameter to form an annular internal shoulder; and finally cutting" an annular groove around the solid end of the bored and drawn rod and forming a primer seat in the end surface thereof.

In testimony whereof. I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH H. WESSON.

'itnesses:

GEORGE P. Gnarrx, Evnnnrr A. Kixxnr. 

